SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — With the the final two spots in the Rockies’ rotation still open, it was imperative that right-hander German Marquez have a solid game Saturday afternoon. For the most part, he did, pitching well in five of his six innings vs. the Cubs in the Rockies’ 7-3 victory.

For starters: Marquez cruised through five innings before Jason Heyward rocked him with a two-run homer in the sixth. Manager Bud Black wanted Marquez to command his curveball — something missing of late — and, at times, Marquez responded. He threw a beautiful bender to strike out Jeimer Candelario looking to end the fourth. Marquez gave up two runs on five hits, striking out six and walking one.

“(Black) told me to be aggressive and (work on) my release point,” Marquez said of his curveball. “I think I did that well.”

Black was a bit more critical: “I thought overall, (the curveball) was functional. I thought in his previous Cactus League games, I thought (the breaking balls) were noncompetitive. Today he had more. He threw a breaking ball in full count for a called strike, and he threw a couple changeups as well.”

Hits: Mark Reynolds lined a sharp, two-run double to right-center in the sixth, giving the Rockies a 3-0 lead vs. Chicago, then Dustin Garneau hit a two-run double to left off Mario Meza, bumping the lead up to 5-0. … Trevor Story laced an RBI single to left in the third off left-hander Brett Anderson. … Carlos Gonzalez had two hits, improving his spring average to .310.

Misses: Left-hander Jake McGee, pitching in his first Cactus League game since returning from the World Baseball Classic, threw a rusty ninth inning. Though his fastball hit 96 mph and there was good bite to his breaking pitches, his location was off. McGee gave up an unearned run on a hit and a walk. … Nolan Arenado went 0-for-3, flying out to center three times and leaving four runners on base.